SNOWBALL FIGHT CHAMPION

“Hey, dude stop studying for five minute and come outside,” Shawn said to AeGuk one afternoon. AeGuk had been studying since leaving his class about an hour ago and Shawn had just came in, still bundled up in a jacket, mittens, and a scarf.  

AeGuk looked up from his book and shook his head.

“G-g-got some important t-tests coming up up before b-break... gotta-ta study,” he said before looking back down at his book.

“What if I told you Allie was outside waiting for us?” Shawn continued.

AeGuk looked up again, trying not to show how that made him reconsider. Nothing had happened between him and Allie since he broke up with Fedora, because everytime he thought of it his nerves stopped him. So he buried his feelings to the back of his head, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to be around her.

Shawn laughed, “I knew that would get your attention.”

AeGuk frowned and shook head, pretending to go back to his reading. But both him and Shawn already knew he was gonna go out there.

“Fine,” AeGuk said after a minute of silence in which he could feel shawn watching him.

Shawn grinned, “get you gear on, we’re gonna have an epic snow ball fight.”

“Sssnowball fight?” AeGuk asked, but got up anyway and started to put on his jacket.

“Yeah, snowbally fight,” Shawn said, handing AeGuk his gloves.

“Oh,” AeGuk said.

He didn’t think he had ever been in a snowball fight, maybe back when he lived is South Korea. But he doesn’t remember ever being in one, to be honest. Most of his memories in Korea consisted of working a lot, not much time for play.

Then of course Broad Meadow, CA didn’t have any snow, so no snowball fights there. So this was probably his first snowball fight and he almost felt nervous.

He realised that it was stupid to feel nervous about a snowball fight, but he was. What if he did something wrong, or couldn’t make a proper snowball?

But he kept his worries to himself as he followed Shawn out of the dorms and out to the cold outdoors. There wasn’t much snow on the ground, but Allie was already halfway done with what looked like a snow barricade.

“Boys!” she called out to shawn and AeGuk.

“Girl!” Shawn called back, causing Allie to laugh.

“Come on over here,” she said, gesturing them over to her barricade.

“I’m sure both of you know the rules to a good old fashioned snowball fight?” Allie said as a question.

Shawn glanced at AeGuk and nodded, AeGuk wanted to nod but he didn’t want to embarrass himself later so he shrugged.

“Of course, cali-boy,” Allie said, “no worries, let the sensei teach you!”

“And you’re the sensei, I’m guessing,” Shawn said.

“You betcha,” Allie said, grinning.

“Alright, Sensei,” Shawn said.

“Arent you you from A-arizona?” AeGuk asked.

“Please ignore that,” she said, “My family used to go for these epic weekend up in the mountains of Colorado, I was the snowball fight champion!”

“Oh,” AeGuk said.

“Alright boys, let’s get started,” Allie said. “The rules are this, We each make a fort, usually with a set amount of time-”

“But you already have half of yours,” AeGuk interrupted in Korean, since he’s been talking in Korean a lot with Allie sometimes he just starts speaking it without really realising he’s doing it. Shawn was giving him a confused look and AeGuk shrugged.

“‘All’s fair in love and war’,” Allie said before continuing, “after we have our forts we have one minute to make as many snowballs as we can and after that the war starts! The goal of the game is to destroy someone else’s base. Every time you get hit with a snowball you have to leave the battlefield for thirty seconds then come back in. If you base get’s stolen you join the person who didn’t take your base and help them.

Then if you one of the people on the losing team take the winners base then they’re back in the game as a singular person.”

AeGuk stared at Allie, not sure if he got all of that. Snowball fights sounds a lot more complicated than he though.

“The main point is steal someone’s base,” Allie said, noticing AeGuk’s confused face.

AeGuk nodded slowly, “I th-think I got it.”

“Yay, let’s get this game started,” Allie said.

Shawn and AeGuk pick corners then start to work on their base, Aeguk just piled some snow up into a big wall but he couldn’t help but notice the intricate way both Shawn and aLlie were making theirs. Allie was making snow bring and building it like a house and Shawn was making a lot of big snowballs and piling them up like a rock wall.

AeGuk also couldn’t help but think their bases would be a lot easier to take down, he bet he could just push Shawn’s down. He laughed to himself and continued to pile his snow.

After a while Allie called out that they had to stop, saying to “take your hands of the bases!”. She then set her phone time to a minute and called for them to start making the snowballs. At least this time AeGuk saw they were all doing the same thing, grabbing balls of snow and packing them together. There isn’t really another way to do it.

After a minute a cheerful rendition of let it snow burst form Allie phone and they all stopped making their snowballs. AeGuk looked down at his pile and thought it looked pretty good.

“Alright enemies, it’s time to fight!” Allie announced. “On your mark, get set and... GO!”

Everything after that was a blur of dodging snowball, getting hit with snowballs, and laughter. And off course screams, lots of screams as people were hit and banished to out of the battlefield for thirty seconds, some cheering for other people as they waited to be put back in.

Aeguk was the first to lose his base to Allie, but it wasn’t long until Shawn won it back. Then it was AeGuk and Allie, then Shawn and Allie, then shawn and AeGuk again. Until finally just when AeGuk thought he wouldn’t be able to stand much more of this cold and he felt chilled to the bone he miraculously took the last base.

“Woah, cali-boy,” Allie said, her face red from the cold.

“It’s cause he’s so small and agile,” shawn said.

AeGuk just shrugged and laughed.

“Come on, we’re gonna die if we stay out here any longer,” Allie said.

Thirty minutes later their all bundled up in a blanket drinking microwave hot chocolate and recounting the snowball fight moment by moment.

And AeGuk thought that for his first snowball fight that was pretty great. Maybe perfect.

AeGuk's Dilemma

AeGuk had a problem. He had to break up with Fedora.

He liked Fedora, she’s never done anything wrong and is always so nice to him and she liked him back. It was perfect and it still would be if Allie wasn’t in the picture.

After his first encounter with this roommate’s cousin he found out that both him and Allie were majoring in the same thing, and they had a whole bunch of classes together. So they spent a lot of time together.

Allie was close to perfect, not only was she fluent in Korean which meant they could speak Korean together, but she was gorgeous. But she didn't flaunt it. She had the same body as Fedora, but she was a lot shorter. And she always wore huge sweaters because she was used to the blistering heat of Arizona, and she looked ridiculously cute.

He realised there was a problem when Allie asked him if he had a girl friend. He didn’t want to say yes. Of course he didn't lie, he told the truth but just that he even thought of lying showed that something was wrong.

So mix the fact that AeGuk thought that Allie was close to perfect and that he didn’t want her to know that he had a girlfriend, it all amounts to one thing; he had to break up with Fedora.

A month into the school year and Fedora had invited herself over to AeGuk’s college for the day. AeGuk was nervous the whole week before the day she was supposed to arrive, because one; he had to break up with her and two; she was gonna meet Allie. He contemplated trying to keep Fedora away from Allie, but figured it was pointless anyway.

“What’s up with you?” Roshawn asked the day before Fedora’s visit. They were studying in their room, and had been completely silent up until then.

“W-what?” AeGuk asked.

“You’ve been jumpy all week,” Shawn said.

“Have I I?” AeGuk asked.

Shawn shot him an incredulous look, “yes. You have. Just now you jumped when you heard the sound of someone passing our door.”

AeGuk blushed, he hadn’t noticed that he had reacted. “S-sorry,” he said.

“Hey, no need to be,” Shawn said, “Just tell me what’s up?”

“F-fedora’s coming here t-t-tomorrow,” AeGuk said.

“Your girlfriend?” Shawn asked.

AeGuk nodded.

“Why are you so nervous then?” Shawn asked.

AeGuk wondered if he should just tell Shawn about his breakup plan. Maybe it would help.

“I’m excited to meet her,” Shawn said.

AeGuk frowned, “Y-yeah?”

“Yeah, what? Is she mean?” Shawn asked.

“N-no no,” AeGuk stuttered, “Sh-she’s wonderful.”

“Then what’s up?” Shawn asked, impatience slipping into his voice.

“I-i-i’m gonna b-break up...” AeGuk paused, his stutter made it a lot harder to just say something, “with her”

Shawn was silent for a second, obviously shocked.

“Why?” He finally asked.

AeGuk frowned, he did not want to explain. He was already tired of talking.

Shawn started to say something then stopped and stared at AeGuk. AeGuk looked away, he hated it when people stared at him.

“This doesn’t, perhaps, have anything to do with Allie, does it?” Shawn asked, his voice oddly level.

AeGuk didn’t want to say anything about Allie, but his face gave it all away as he could feel it heat up and he knew he was bright red.

“Foreal?” Shawn asked jumping a bit, “You like my cousin?”

AeGuk shrugged.

“That is so weird,” Shawns aid, “And oddly cute. You guy’s look good together.”

AeGuk felt like his face was on fire.

Shawn laughed, “Man, your face looks like a tomato.”

Now AeGuk glared at Shawn and made a point of turning back to his homework.

“But seriously dude, good luck.” Shawn said after a minute of silence. “I had to break up with a girl once, and it was tough.”

AeGuk just hoped he would actually go through with it.

--

The day of Fedora’s expected arrival AeGuk was freaking out, he couldn’t even talk, as Shawn discovered when he asked him if he wanted to get some quick breakfast before Fedora arrived.

They walked the whole way with Shawn holding up the entire conversation.

“Dude, why aren’t you talking?” Shawn said as they sat down with their food.

AeGuk couldn’t even speak, he kept thinking about Fedora being in his room later meeting Shawn and Allie. And having to break up with her

“You really need to chill,” Shawn said, “You look white as a ghost.”

AeGuk frowned.

Shawn shrugged and took a bite of his breakfast sandwich, “at least eat something.”

But the food in front of AeGuk just made him feel sick, just looking at it. So he pushed it away and shook his head.

“Man, you need something in you to get you through the day,“ Shawn said, pushing the food back towards AeGuk.

AeGuk glared at Shawn, and picked up the food and headed towards the garbage cans.

“Where are you going?” Shawn called.

AeGuk dumped the food out and walked back to Shawn.

“Hey, I could have eaten that,” Shawn said, “And now you wasted it. What about the starving Africans?”

AeGuk rolled his eyes.

“Fine, let’s go,” Shawn said, finishing up the last of his sandwich and gulping down his juice.

And they went back to their room.

AeGuk almost passed out when they opened the door to find Fedora’s already there and laying on AeGuk’s bed.

“Hey!” Fedora exclaimed, jumping up from the bed and tackling AeGuk with a hug.

“I missed you!” Fedora said, pulling away from the hug with a big grin on her face.

AeGuk nodded, not sure what to say and even if he could talk right then.

“And who’s this?” Fedora said referring to Shawn and so far not noticing AeGuk’s lack of words.

“I’m Shawn, AeGuk’s roomie,” Shawn said.

Fedora eyes widened, “Woah, AeGuk never told me you were black!”

Shawn eyes widened but he laughed, “Can’t believe he left that out!”

Fedora laughed along with him, then turned back to AeGuk, “so you have to show me around the place.”

AeGuk nodded, knowing he probably had the same look of shock on his face as he had when he first saw her in his room.

And Fedora noticed it obviously, because she looked at him a second longer and frowned.

“You okay?” Fedora asked, “You haven’t said a word since I came here, and you have this petrified look on your face.”

AeGuk tried to say something just as Allie appeared in the doorway mid sentence, “Is she here-” she was saying until she saw Fedora.

“Oh, hi!” Allie said.

Fedora looked at Allie and turned back to AeGuk, “Who’s she?”

AeGuk wanted to disappear.

“Allie’s my cousin,” Shawn said.

“Allie,” Fedora said, laughing a bit, “Such a simple name. Well nice to meet you, Allie.”

“You too,” Allie said, “I’ve heard so much about you.”

“Really,” Fedora grinned, “Probably all good stuff, I’m sure.”

“Oh, a few bad things here and there,” Allie joked.

“Of course, nobody’s perfect,” Fedora said. “Now can I get some time alone with AeGuk?”

Shawn and Allie shared a look and shrugged,

“We’ll be out of your hair,” Allie said.

“See you later, man,” Shawn said.

Then they were gone and it was just AeGuk and Fedora. AeGuk wished he could have left with Shawn and Allie, but he was stuck here with Fedora and an inability to talk.

Fedora went over and sat on AeGuk’s bed, “So what’s up?”

AeGuk shrugged.

“Since when were you mute?” Fedora asked.

AeGuk shrugged again.

“Is something wrong?” Fedora asked.

AeGuk couldn’t talk, and was actually happy for an excuse to not say anything.

“Come on, just say something,” Fedora said, sounding annoyed now.

“I-i-i-i-i-,” AeGuk tried.

Fedora frowned and asked again, “Is something wrong?”

“I-i-i-i-i’m,” AeGuk tried again. “S-s-s-s-s-s-...soooorrrry.”

Fedora stared at him with wide eyes, “What’s up?”

AeGuk frowned, it felt like saying those two words had taken up all of his energy. He didn’t think he could say another word.

Fedora frowned, “I think we need to get you to the nurse.”

“W-wha-?” AeGuk said, confused.

“This isn’t normal,” Fedora said, jumping up from the bed, “What if you’re having a stroke!”

Aeguk shook his head, “I-i-i-I’m F-f-fiiine.”

Fedora raised an eyebrow, obviously not believing it.

AeGuk sighed, “R-reeeally.”

Fedora sat back down, ‘Then what’s up, why’re you so nervous? That’s why you’re stuttering so bad right?”

AeGuk knew he should just tell her. But he didn’t think he could. He wanted to just spit it out, but that’s impossible for him.

Just then Shawn and Allie came back into the room.

”Is everything okay in here?” Allie asked.

“Yeah,” Fedora said, “I guess.”

AeGuk sighed, glad that Fedora was just gonna let it go for now.

“Let’s get this campus tour started then,” Fedora said, standing up.

AeGuk smiled at her, thinking a campus tour would be easy and hopefully loosen up his nerve.

“You guys can come and fill in whatever AeGuk misses,” Fedora said to Shawn and Allie, “And I want to get to know you guys too.”

“I’m down with that,” Shawn said.

---

During the tour AeGuk slowly found his voice again and was talking like normal again. They went to the cafeteria for some lunch and AeGuk found himself actually having a good time.

“And then I hear my name and I’m like, what?” Fedora said, talking about her homecoming queen win from a few years ago. That was when her and AeGuk got together.

“That was also the night me and AeGuk started officially dating,” Fedora said, grinning and putting an arm around AeGuk’s shoulder and pulling him close.

AeGuk blushed and Shawn raised his eyebrows at them.

“Me and Allie have to go,” Shawn said suddenly, giving AeGuk a long look.

AeGuk frowned and begged with his eyes for them not to go.

Allie looked confused but stood up along with Shawn and said, “yep. Places to go, people to see.”

Then they were gone and it was just AeGuk and Fedora.

“Wanna go back to your room and hang out?” Fedora winked

AeGuk felt his face go red and shook his head.

Fedora frowned, “why?”

“I-I-I,” AeGuk tried.

“No, not again,” Fedora groaned, “Just talk please. You obviously have something to say.”

And AeGuk knew she knew what he had to say, so why wouldn’t she just say it for him?

“Come on,” Fedora said, crossing her arms.

AeGuk sighed, “I-I-I-I... w-want to b-b-break uuup.”

Fedora frowned, looked at him for a long pause and said, “okay.”

She stood up and started walking away then stopped and turned back.

“Is this because of Allie?” she said.

Aeguk cannot lie, his face tells it all.

Fedora laughs, “Really! She’s so cute, that’s ridiculous.”

AeGuk looked at Fedora, not sure what to say.”

Fedora walked back over and sat down, “you’re breaking up with me because you want to date this tiny little Asian. Please see the irony in this.”

Aeguk just shrugged.

“Look at me!” Fedora said, opening her arm out wide, “I’m the opposite of that!”

AeGuk still wasn’t sure how to respond.

Fedora shook her head and laughed, “well good luck. I hope she likes you back.”

AeGuk did too.

Or else this was all for nothing.

And just like that AeGuk had broken up with his girlfriend of more than two years, and now he had the new problem of what to do about Allie.

But that’s for another day.

AeGuk's Roomie

AeGuk felt like he was the only person on campus who didn’t have someone helping him move into the dorms. Fedora would have helped, except she had to get back to college herself. Sacia had offered to come but AeGuk didn’t really want her to.

Now he really would have taken anyone offering to help him.

As he found his way to his dorm room through the crowd of people and their parents, or friends, or siblings, or whoever was helping them, he felt incredibly lonely and wonder why exactly he wanted to go to college all the way across the country from his mom. If he was going to college somewhere in California his mom probably would be here helping him.

But sadly he was not, he was in New York and all alone. That is until he found his roommate and his roommates parents already in their room.

“Oh,” AeGuk said setting his bags down, it wasn’t much since he didn’t own much in the first place.

His roommate, a tall lanky guy with dark curly hair cut close to his head, smiled at him.

“Hey, you’re my roommate?” the guy asked.

“I I I... g-guess,” AeGuk said, his stutter becoming very apparent. He had almost forgotten, When he was with Fedora he hardly felt like he stutter at all.

But the guy didn’t seem to notice, or care. Instead he held out his hand and introduced himself as “Roshawn, but everyone calls me Shawn.”

AeGuk shook his hand, “AeGuk.”

His name was the only thing he could say without stuttering.

“Oh, cool,” Shawn said, “That’s like Korean right?”

AeGuk nodded.

“Were you born there?” Shawn asked.

AeGuk nodded again.

“Cool,” Shawn said, then he turned back to his parents, “I guess it’s goodbye.”

AeGuk brought his bags to the bed that wasn’t taken and started unpacking because he couldn’t think of anything else to do.

“Yo,” Shawn said after a while. AeGuk had already unpacked all of his clothes and was in the process of putting sheets and stuff on his bed, but he stopped and turned to Shawn.

“You don’t talk much do you,” Shawn laughed.

AeGuk shrugged.

Shawn looked confused for second then shrugged to, “You hungry?”

AeGuk shrugged again.

“Look, dude, you’re gonna have to give me a straight answer,” Shawn said.

Shawn reminded AeGuk of Bryan, and not just because they were both black and tall, but because they’re both loud and straightforward. But Bryan never made fun of him for not talking.

Just then a sound, like when PAC-MAN eats a ghost, came from Shawn’s pocket. AeGuk was thankful for a distraction, hoping maybe Shawn would forget he was talking to him.

After reading, what AeGuk assumed was, a text Shawn smiled and looked back at AeGuk.

“It’s my cousin,” he said, “You wanna get something to eat with us? The cafeteria is already open, we can see what they got.”

AeGuk shrugged, and nodded.

“Sure?” Shawn asked.

“Y-yeah,” AeGuk said, immediately feeling disappointed that he couldn’t even say “yeah” without stuttering.

Shawn nodded, “let’s go.”

AeGuk followed Shawn out into the hallways, which was still busy with students and parents. They walked from their dorms to the Cafeteria, on the way there Shawn stopped and grinned.

“There she is,” he said.

AeGuk looked in the direction he was looking and was shocked to see a small, kind of round, Asian girl with hair as short as Shawn’s. She ran and gave Shawn a bear hug, and he picked her right up and twirled her around.

“Allie,” Shawn said.

“Shawn,” Allie giggled, when he put her down. “You know I hate it when you do that. It makes me feel so small.”

“You love it,” Shawn said.

The girl, Allie, looked at AeGuk then.

“Who’s this?” she asked.

“My roomie,” Shawn said, “He’s practically mute.”

Allie looked at Shawn then back at AeGuk and said, “maybe he doesn't speak english.”

AeGuk frowned.

Shawn shrugged, “He’s from Korea.”

Allie’s whole face lit up, “Really. I’ve always wanted to try out my Korean!”

AeGuk tried not to groan, was she some wannabe Korean?

“Annyeonghaseyo!” She said, “yeong-eo hal jul aseyo?”

Hello, do you speak english.

“Ye,” AeGuk said, smiling. Her Korean wasn’t too bad, she pronounced everything correct and spoke as if she was a native. He could speak Korean much easier that English sometimes.

“Well then why don’t you say something?” Allie asked.

AeGuk shrugged, “I-i...”

He felt his face heat up, why was talking so hard?

“I’m starving,” Shawn said, “You guys can continue getting acquainted in the cafeteria.”

“Alright,” Allie said.

AeGuk followed them, glad that Shawn had brought the attention away from AeGuk’s failed sentence.

He wondered if he had done it on purpose.

Then he remember that he hadn’t even told Allie his name.